U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica warns of phone fraud

The United States Embassy in San José, Costa Rica, has issued the following alert regarding suspected instances of phone fraud:

American Citizen Services has received reports from U.S. citizens living in Costa Rica reporting telephone calls from individuals purporting to work for the U.S Embassy in San Jose.  The callers state the Embassy is updating profiles of U.S. citizens for the Costa Rica Ministry of Hacienda in relation to recent tax law changes.  The callers request personal information such as passport and social security numbers.  The callers have also directed people to a website that solicits bank account login and password information.  The United States Embassy reminds American citizens that Embassy staff will not initiate calls to U.S. citizens offering assistance with host government legislation and regulations. 

The U.S. Embassy recommends the following:

• Do not provide personally sensitive information such as social security numbers or bank account information to callers purporting to work for the U.S. Embassy.
• If you receive a call, file a complaint report at your local OIJ office.
• Contact the U.S. Embassy at 2519-2059 and ask to speak to a Citizen Services Specialist if you have additional questions or concerns.
• Review information regarding financial scams targeting American citizens at home and abroad. Click here for more.